In Reply to: GWV Anger posted by Tracy on August 08, 2000 at 11:10:23:

Dear Tracy,

My name is (former) Sergeant N. Steger. Was not in the Gulf war, but in general I think I can help you understand your husband's anger. Sometimes, things are so hroible that you cannot bare to deal with them. Be they happening to others, yourself, or both. And the army, or for that matter any branch of the service, forces you to deal with it because you >have< to. You have no other choice. So you do, you do your job with minimal or no complaints. And when it comes time for the brass to "anty-up" because you and your fellow soldier's have done your jobs, the brass either doesnt acknowlage your jobs that were well done, or its "put off until a more convenient date." In other words they forget about it. I was injured during special training, I was part of a special unit, to make a long and angering story short, I was hurt and almost debilitated. I fell fifteen feet off a training obsticle. And if I would have remained in the army, I would have been almost literaly transformed into "Robo Cop," so to speak. Twp lates, a pin and three screws in my left knee, and a cable, and two pins in my right shoulder. So I chose to leave. And this was met with anger from others, and I was called a coward, and told that I should have never joined. I put in 6 and a half years with the Army, and for what? To be told that I was no friggin good? And that I was useless and a quiter? "Join the army, serve your country proud," I did. And they rideculed me, and laughed at me when I left all the way on to the plane back home. Its not his fault he is so moody, but when you have to deal with what we do, I hope this helps you understand a little more.